Roller skate



Patented Aug. 30, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE ROLLER SKATE Clarence Vogt, Wenonah, N. J. Application April 19, 1937, Serial No. 137,846

V9 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in roller skates an-d more particularly to skates of the type constructed and arranged to permit the person skating thereon to describe curves of substantially small radii.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a skate of the character set forth, embodying certain improved structural features and arrangements together with novel means for absorbing shock imparted to the front wheel assembly or mounting by impact or collision with an object or obstruction for the purpose of preventing crystallization of the metal in the elements of said wheel assembly.

Another object of the invention is to provide a skate of the stated character constructed to include a member yarranged. to engage the surface being skated upon when the skate is tilted up onto the front wheel assembly for the purpose of 2O preventing the forepart or tip of the foot support from contacting such skating surface.

Other features and objects of the invention and the details of construction thereof are set forth hereinafter and shown in the accompanying drawing, in which: y

Figure l is a View in side elevation of a skate embodying the present invention.

Figure 2 is a partial View similar to Figure 1 showing the skate tilted up onto the front wheel 30 assembly thereof. Y

Figure 3 is a view in section on line 3 3, Figure 1. f

Figure 4 is va view Vin section on line 4`4, Figure 1, and

Figure 5 is a view in section on line 5--5, Figure 1.v

Referring now to the drawing, a skate made in accordance with the present invention comprises front an-d rear foot supporting sections I and 2 respectively which'are preferably, though not necessarily, constructed in accordance with the vdisclosure in my co-pending application Serial No. 81,325, filed May 22, 1936, and include axially extending depending ribs or folded portions 3 and 4 at the underside thereof, the inner ends of said portions being arranged for slidable telescopic engagement with each other in the manner described in said copending application.

In accordance with this invention, a bracket 6 is mounted beneath the front supporting section I and includes a forwardly declining flat portion 'I having ange portions 8 which project upwardly from opposite side edges thereof and terminate at their upper ends in outwardly projecting portions 9 through which said bracket 6 is secured to the underside of said section I by means of rivets or the like I0. As shown, the flat portion 'l projects forwardly a substantial distance and has its forward edge portion turned up or flanged as indicated at I I to provide a flat end surface portion I2 for engagement with the surface over which the skate is travelling when said skate is tilted onto the front wheel assembly by the skater as illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawing, thus guarding against or preventing the fore part or tip of the supporting section I from contacting or scraping against such skating surface.

The front wheel assembly comprises a spindle supporting bracket I3 which includes upper and lower webs or portions I4 and I5 arranged in relatively spaced parallel relation with respect to one another and flanges l 5 project upwardly from l the yopposite side edges of said uppermost web portion I4. These flanges I6 are arranged to reside outwardly adjacent theflange portions 8 of the bracket 6 and the spindle supporting bracket bracket 6 by means of a shaft, pin or the like I3 which extends transversely of the skate through suitable openings formed inthe flanges 8 thereof as well as said flanges I6 of said bracket I3. The pivotal movement thus afforded the bracket I3 is,fhowever, quite limited and will be described in detail hereinafter.

As shown in Figure 1 of the drawing, the rear portion of the lower web I5 of the bracket I3 is upturned as at I9 and preferably secured to the rear end portion of the upper web It as indicated by reference numeral 20. The upturned portion I9 just mentioned is suitably notched or slotted at opposite sides thereof adacent the web portion I5 as indicated at 2|, the purpose for which will be set forth in detail hereinafter. The webs yI4 and I5 of the bracket I 3 are provided with aligned apertures 22 and 23 respectively and a spindle 24 is rotatably mounted therein. The flat 'portion 'I of the bracket 6 is similarly provided with an opening 25 therein to receive the upper extremity or tip of the spindle 24 and this opening 25 is suiciently larger'than the upper end of saidA spindle 24 to permit relative movement of the latter within said opening 25.

In the present instance, the lower end portion of the spindle 24 is of greater diameter than' the upper' portion thereof and the shoulder thus provided at the junction of these portions of dfferent diameter isV disposed adjacent the underside of the lower web portion I5 of the spindle bracket I3. As shown in the drawing, this lower end por- I3 lis vpivotally suspended from said receive therethrough a Wheel axle or shaft 3| which is mounted in said tubular portion 28 of the bracket member 29, the usual Wheels 32 being mounted upon opposite ends of said axle or shaft 3| in any suitable manner.

In the present instance, the inner end of the upper iiange or web portion 33 of the bracket 29 is turned upwardly as indicated at 34 to a position adjacent and parallel to the upturned portion I9 of the lower web I5 of the spindle bracket I3 and this upturned portion 34 of bracket 29 is slotted or notched as at opposite sides thereof adjacent said web portion 33 as indicated by reference numerals 35, the arrangement being such that the upper projecting portions 36 of said portion 34 above the notches 35 therein function to positively limit rotation of the bracket 29 and spindle 24 by engaging the adjacent face of the upturned portion I9 of the spindle bracket I3 after said bracket 29 and spindle have pivoted or rotated a predetermined distance in either direction.

As shown particularly in Figure 4 of the drawing, the annular portions 3l! of a pair of arms 38 looselyY embrace the spindle 24 intermediate the supporting webs I4 and I5 of bracket I3 and these arms 38 engage or project through the slots or notches 2l, and 35 at opposite sides of the upturned portions I9 and 34 of the brackets I3 and 29 respectively.V An upstanding Vlug 39 is Y cut or notched to receive the extremities of a spring 40 which is coiled about the spindle 24 and functions to yieldingly maintain said spindle 24, bracket 29 and wheels 32 in axial alignment yet permit the pivoting of these elements with respect to brackets I3 and 6 in a direction and degree depending upon the location and amount of pressure applied to the foot supporting sections I and 2 by the skater, the extent or degree of such pivotal movement being positively limited by the projecting portions 36 of the upturned portion 34 of bracket 29 which engage the upturned portion I9 of said bracket I3 as above described.

The upturned portion I9 of the bracket I3 extends between the arms 38 and Yfunctions as a centering means for the relative pivotable elements of the front wheel assembly when in normal position, and when these latter elements pivotv in either direction, said upturned portion I9 maintains the opposite arm 33 in its normal position axially with respect to the skate while the other arm 38 is actuated vby means of the upturned portion'34 of the bracket 29 which rotates with the spindle 24.V This rotation occurs against the action of the spring 40 and by maintaining the other arm 38 in its normal position the extent of compression of the spring 40 is increased, thus building'up a greater force in said spring 40 Vfor the purpose of returning the pivoted elements of the wheel assembly to their normal position axially of the skate.

For the purpose of absorbing shock imparted to the wheel assembly andpreventing crystallization of the metal in the various component parts thereof caused by impact or collision of the wheels 32 Ywith relatively stationary or heavy objects' or obstructions, a pair of lugs 4I are formed at the rear end of the upper web I4 of the bracket I3 and these lugs 4I are turned Vupwardly substantially at right angles to said web and extend to within a short distance of the under surface of the front foot supporting section I as shown in Figure 2 of the drawing. The lugs 4I are each surrounded by a coil spring 42 which acts between the upper surface of the upper web I4 and the under surface ofthe supporting section I as shown in Figure 5 to absorb shocks imparted to the front wheel assembly, the pivotal suspension of said bracket I3 from the bracket 6 effected through the pin I8 permitting the bracket I3 and wheel assembly to pivot slightly relative to said bracket 6 against the yielding resistance afforded by the springs 4I. Pivotal movement of the bracket I3 and wheel assembly is quite restricted, however, asclockwise movement thereof with respect to the drawing is positively limited by engagement of the forward `edge portion of the-upper web vI4 of said bracket with the underside of the flat Vportion 1 of the bracket 6 while movement in the opposite or counterclockwise direction is positively limited by engagement of the upper vextremities of the lugs 4I with the underside of the foot section I but between these fixed limits pivotal movement of the bracket I 3 and wheel assembly is permitted against the yielding resilience of the springs 42 which tend to urge these members in the rst mentioned or clockwise-direction and effectively function to absorb, at least in part, any shock or impact upon the front wheel assembly of the skate.

While a particular embodiment of the invention has been set forth herein for descriptive purposes, it is not intended that said invention shall be precisely limited thereto but that modifications and changesY may be incorporated and embodied therein Within the scope of the annexed claims.

I claim:

' VVl. In a skate including a foot support, abracket secured to the lunderside of said foot support, a spindle support pivoted to said Vbracket for limited movement in a plane substantially perpendicular to the Vplane of the foot support, a spindle rotatably mounted in said spindle support, a wheel-axle rotatable with said spindle, mechanism tending to resist rotation of said wheel axle and spindle relative to the spindle support, `and means constantly urging said spindle support forwardly of the skate and operative to yieldingly resist rearward movement of the spindle support and absorb shocks receivedthereby and effecting such movement.

2. In a skate Vincluding a foot support,A a bracket secured to the underside of said foot support, a spindle support' pivoted to said bracket for limited movement in a-plane substantially perpendicular to the plane of the foot sup-port, a spindle rotatably mounted in Vsaid spindle support, a Wheel laxle rotatable with said spindle, mechanism tending to resist rotation of said wheel axle and spindle relative to the spindle support, means forming a part of said spindle-support arranged to positively limit pivotal movement thereof, and means constantly urging said spindle support forwardly of the skate and operative to'yieldingly resist rearward movement of the spindle support and absorb shocks received thereby and effecting suchV movement.

3; In a skate including a foot support, a bracket secured tothe'underside of said foot support, a spindlesupport pivoted to said bracket for limskate and operative to yieldngly resist rearward movement of the spindle support and absorb shocks received thereby and effecting such movement.

4. In a.v skate including a foot support, bearings mounted below said foot support for limited pivotal movement in a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane of the foot support, a spindle rotatably mounted in said bearings, a wheel axle rotatable with said spindle, and means constantly urging the bearings forwardly o-f the skate and operative to yieldably resist rearward movement of the bearings and absorb shocks received thereby and effecting suchv movement.

5. In a skate including a foot support, bearings mounted below said foot support for limited pivotal movement in a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane of the foot support, a spindle rotatably mounted in said bearings, a wheel axle rotatable with said spindle, means constantly urging the bearings forwardly of the skate and operative to yieldably resist rearward movement of the'bearings and absorb shocks received thereby and effecting such movement, and. mechanism tending to resist rotation of the wheel axle and spindle relative to said bearings.

6. In a skate including a foot support, bearings mounted below said foot support for limited pivotal movement in a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane of the foot support, a spindle/rotatably mounted in said bearings, a Wheel axle rotatable with said spindle, means constantly urging the bearings forwardly of the skate and operative to yieldably resist rearward movement of the bearings and absorb shocks received thereby and effecting such movement, and means forming a part of said bearings for positively limiting pivotal movement thereof.

7. In a skate including a foot support, a bracket secured to the underside of said foot support adjacent the toe end thereof and including a forwardly declining substantially flat portion for engagement with a skating surface in certain positions of said skate to prevent engagement of such surface by said toe end of the foot support, a front wheel assembly pivotally carried by said bracket constructed and arranged for limited movement relative thereto in a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane of said foot support, and means constantly urging said wheel assembly forwardly of the skate and bracket and operative to yieldingly resist rearward movement of the wheel assembly and absorb shocks received thereby and effecting such movement.

8. In a skate including a foot support, a bracket secured to the underside of said foot support adjacent the toe end thereof and including a forwardly declining substantially at portion for engagement with a skating surface incertain positions of Vsaid skate to preventengagement of such surface by said toe end of the foot support, al

front wheelV assembly pivotally carried by said bracket constructed and arranged for limited pivotal movement relative thereto in a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane of said foot support, said wheel assembly including mechanism operable to permit rotation of the wheels thereof in a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane of the pivotal movement of the wheel assembly relative to the bracket, and means constantly urging said wheel assembly forwardlyiof the skate and bracket and operative to yieldingly resist rearward movement of the Wheel assembly and absorb shocks received thereby and effecting such movement.

9. In a skate including a foot support, a bracket secured to the underside of said foot support adjacent the toe end thereof and including a forwardly declining substantially flat portion for engagement with a skating surface in certain positions of said skate to prevent engagement of such surface by said toe end of the foot support, a front wheel assembly pivotally carried by said bracket constructed andarranged for limited movement relative thereto in a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane of said foot support, and means constantly urging said wheel assembly forwardly of the skate and bracket and operative to yieldingly resist rearward movement of the wheel assembly and absorb shocks received thereby andeffecting such movement, and means forming a part of said wheel assembly for positively limiting pivotal movement thereof.

CLARENCE VOGT. 

